Parkinson’s disease: the most common diagnostic mistakes in Lithuania

Parkinson’s disease (PD) belongs to group of neurodegenerative diseases. PD diagnosis is clinical, based on these signs: tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, akinesia or hypokinesia. The aim of the work was to determine the frequency of separate clinical forms of Parkinson’s disease and difficulties at this disease diagnosis. After examining 267 patients, foreseen clinical criterion of Parkinson’s disease correspond 202 (44.0% persons) − 115 women and 87 men and for 65 patients diagnosis of PD was not confirmed, because they did not correspond with accepted criteria of Parkinson’s disease. While analyzing clinical peculiarities of disease we ascertained that rigidity-tremor form of disease prevailed for 152 (75.2%, 86 women and 66 men) patients. The rigidity form was more rare − 28 (13.9%, 13 women and 15 men). Not very frequent was a tremor form of disease -− 22 (10.9%, 16 women and 6 men) patients. According to data of our research, for almost one fourth of patients (65, 24.3%) the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease was not confirmed after clinical examination. These patients did not correspond with clinical criteria of PD. The data of our research maintain that for almost one fourth (one fourth of what?) (24.3%) the diagnosis was incorrect. Although these patients did not correspond with accepted criteria of PD, they had been treated with antiparkinsonic medications. The PD diagnosis for them was determined only according to separate symptoms: tremor, gait alterations or memory deterioration and behaviour alternations. It must be noted, that symptoms of Wilson’s disease, MSA or brain infarction were estimated as PD. Examining patients at home, we ascertained that not all patients use prescribed L-dopa preparations. A part of patients or their relatives stopped using of this drug independently. We also made note of the fact that urinary incontinence manifested using dopamine agonist ropinirole. This side effect became significant problem for patient himself and for his relatives.